Your legal documents may be easily recognizable and accepted here in this country, but if you travel abroad, those same documents may not hold the same merit simply due to unfamiliarity with governing agencies and officials. If you are traveling to another country for work, to live, or for some other reason, you may have to obtain an apostille. An apostille is a legal document that is created by the United States government that verifies the information in pertinent documents is legitimate. If you are in a situation in which you have to obtain an apostille, there are a few things you should know. 

You may not need an apostille in every country

Not every country will require that you obtain an apostille, which generates a lot of confusion for travelers who are going abroad with their important documents. You can find a full list of countries where you may be traveling that may require that you have an apostille by checking out the HCCH Index. If you are ever unsure of whether or not you will need an apostille, it is best to speak to someone at the US Department of State where you live. 

You may need an apostille to certify your education credentials

Many people know that an apostille can be required to prove that you are who you say you are or that your birth certificate is legitimate or something similar in nature, but there are other things that can require verification as well. One thing that is most commonly necessary to gain an apostille for is education credentials. For example, if you are traveling to another country to start a job that requires you to have a certain level of education, you may have to get your degree verified via an apostille for the US service provider. 

Your apostille does not expire, but it can be out of date depending on where you travel

When you are issued an apostille, it does not have a use-by date or an expiration date. It will be valid from that point on. However, you may be required to get an updated apostille if it was not made within a certain time frame. Some countries may require that the apostille be dated within three or six months, for example, or they will not accept it as a legitimate form of documentation and you will have to get it renewed. To learn more, contact a company like Russian Divorce.